HoustonSoReal is not dead and will never die, but do not sleep on the fact that AustinSurreal.com IS THE NEW JUMP OFF! Come swim with me.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Forgive Me For Internet Slacking

O.k. So these past couple of weeks I have been trying to find the time to sit down and go through and resize and post photos and today I'm just now getting around to doing it. Actually I'm supposed to be doing other things, namely promoting the hell out of this:

If you got love for me or any of these artists and will be in town, you need to come check this out. It's going to be party of the year and will be way more throwder than the other 20 parties claiming to be Kanye West after parties that have nothing whatsoever to do with Kanye West.

We're like the only party that night NOT claiming to be a Kanye West after party. And we have $2 Heinekens all night cuz that's just how we do thang thangs. Havana is a beautiful club, great sound, amazing vibes, beautiful bartenders, wonderful people, it's seriously gonna be off the chain and I am not just saying that, please do come party with us and bring out of towners who are here for Thanksgiving.

I'd love to sit down and write something interesting today to go with all of these photos, but DJ Eva is sitting behind me freestyle singing some song about boogers and slime and I'm finding it hard to concentrate. Most of the photos are self explanatory.

I better see you this Friday in Houston at Havana Bar and Grill. Please come join us. $2 Heinekens all night, some free Martel drinks, did I already say that?

Oh yeah my man Scavone and this dude right here:

Will be in the house as well. That's right, it's Johnny from the O.C. Seriously. Houston's own Ryan Donowho, my lil brother who I am going to exploit the fuck out of. Autographs going for $20, kisses for $50. I'll give you the key to his apartment for a clean G.

Anyway on to the photos. Many many today.

A few weeks back a few New Orleans legends passed through Damage Control

Ice Mike, Big Mike

Ice Mike, Tre 8, Big Mike

DJ Styles, Big Mike, Mike BIf ya don't know. DJ Styles was one half of the production team behind the first Odd Squad record and Mike B was the man behind Trinity Garden Cartel. You want some Houston history motherfucker you come to me OK??? Cuz we ain't playin' over here at the Real.

I been going to Austin every week working with my peoples at ME Television. It's a new 24/7 video network in our capitol city. They're doing big things and are very open to local and independent artists in general. I like what they're doing so far. Who else gonna let Basswood Lane, Kool Whip, Dat Boy Mikee, and Set 4 Life in the building at the same time??? That's VJ Dru Fay to the right. His hip-hop show, entitled SMASH needs YOUR videos. Independents and video promoters get at me for the word on how to get at them.

Austin Massive at ME Television

Kool Whip the Kingpin

Mo' ME Television

Anyway this past Monday we pulled quite a coup. MOs Def, Talib Kweli, Jean Grae and Pharoah Monch were scheudled to perform at Club Hush and all of a sudden Mos Def droppe doff the tour and the show was cancelled. With a few swift calls we get the Messina Group to salvage the show and have Jean Grae and Talib Kweli still perform at the Engine Room with Grit Boys and Perseph 1 opening up. DJ Chill on the wheels.

Shit was off the chain here's some flicks...

My boy Bubba and Erica Marlin (Coughee Sista on Devin's "Too Cute")

DJ CeePlus and DJ Chill

DJ Chill Hosted the night

Grit Boys opened as did Perseph 1, not sure what happened to my photos of Perseph

Poppy, Grit Boys

Niq, Grit Boys

Jean Grae WRECKED!

King Bee the Spazztic MC

OT and DJ Domo. Domo is the DJ for Scarface/Ghetto Boys since Ready Red left in 1990 and OT used to man the helm at Makin' Records. Now he can get you in a house for no money down! He did it for us. He's the man. We used to live at 307 Clinton Ave in Brooklyn together circa 1994...

Sam Bryant from BBC 1xtra was in Houston doing research for a radio documentary on Screwed and Chopped Music. She even interviewed me, which is what every good journalist should do whilst in this funky lil ol' town.

Southern Gurl

Talib Kweli went real hard

And brough BUN B Out on stage. And you missed this?

Bun B pretty much made the crowd lose it completely

Never thought you'd see Talib Kweli as Bun B's hype man did you?

Jean sees her portrait

That's Jean with B-Boy Craig and the artist. I need to get with Craig and get the artists name...

These dudes stopped me outside the club, gave me a t-shirt and the dude on the left drunkenly explained to me how much of a better photographer he is than me.

Then two nights later, just before Damage Control, Trae was filming his video for "Swang" on what was definitely the coldest night so far this year. It dipped to 30 degrees man. Boys were not ready, but the video really looks like it's gonna be fly.

Ace Deuce

Billy Cook and the crew of new show Attic TV

Bang

Billy Cook and his co-host

Many many fly rides out there for Trae's video shoot

Circle G's

Cl'che

Crowd at the shoot

Felicia Johnson and friend

That night I was informed that Screwed Up Click Member, Grace, got 5 years in the pen

Grace's brother Los actually just got out and has some new heat

TV Johnny came with them screens

Johnny and X-Tract

Niq, Yung Redd, Trae, Lil B (SLAB)

RIP DJ Screw. This was actually November 16, 2005. Exactly 5years since he passed.

Sambow

Showtyme, Cl'che

Trae, Hawk

Trae

Yung Redd, Niq

Then later that night we did the Tribute to DJ Screw on Damage Control. Here's some photos from it.

Deray, Golden Child, Wood, Bird

DJ Big Baby

Lil D

THEN Thursday I left for Austin with the whole fam and went to see Devin the Dude, Bavu Blakes, Chalie Boy, Rapid Ric, Big Mike and D-Madness live at Antones. Wow. Amazing. D-Madness (one man band who plays drums, bass and keys at the same time among other thangs) backed Devin, Chalie/Ryno, and Bavu Blakes throughout the night and even rocked a set of his own. Shit was magnanimous. Like 550 people showed out AND Bun B and Trae were even performing across town same night. Shit was dope. Seeing the Odd Squad on stage with D-Madness was like, um, wow. I can't even explain it and I hate that. I'm supposed to be a writer. Eva, please shut up for a second, please... please. I get no quiet, ever.

Brotha K, Big Mike for Magic Video interview

Big Mike

Smackola and DJ Crash of the Dirty Wormz

Basswood Lane and Dirty Wormz

Bavu Blakes

Bradley and Deuce of Hot 93

DJ Rapid Ric

Rapid Ric, Domo

Chalie Boy

Big Rob Da Ryno

D-Madness backs Chalie Boy and Rob

Devin the Dude

Devin, D-Madness, Jugg Mugg

Domo

Odd Squad Live with D-Madness

Shit really was magical. Sorry you missed it. Maybe I'll break y'all off with a reasonable facsimile for South By Southwest this year. Which is gonna be 10 times as HUGE as last year. Get registered...

Then it was back home to my girls...Eva and...

Elena (The quiet one - seriously those with kids wouldn't believe it. We have a 4 month old who sleeps through the night and a three year old who wakes up periodically through the night screaming uncontrollably. Like SCREAMING IN TERROR FOR AN HOUR SOMETIMES, uncontrollably).

I love your blog. I can't believe my luck! My birthday is the 25th and nothing sounded really exciting, but this show really does. I've been in FL and they don't know what rap is. On my drive home I picked up the Bun B CD. There are to many to name tht I want to add to my list. Do you know the story behind the new SPM music? I thought that dude was in jail. Should we expect a CD soon? Fill me in. Your girls look beautiful!